Technical Field
The present invention relates to an improved method of encapsulating a semiconductor device by heat curing an encapsulating compound comprising an epoxy, a hardener, a catalyst, a mold release agent, optionally a filler, optionally a colorant, optionally a coupling agent and a flame retardant system around a semiconductor device. In the improvement, the flame retardant system comprises a lower percentage of antimony pentoxide, a lower percentage of sodium and an organic compound containing a higher percentage of halogen than prior art molding compounds.
In the improvement, molding compounds with an organic compound containing a higher percentage of halogen along with a lower percentage of antimony pentoxide and sodium and with a basic magnesium oxide compound has unexpected superior high temperature stability and reliability.
The present invention also relates to improved flame retardant thermo setting epoxy molding compounds of the type comprising an epoxy, a hardener, a catalyst, a mold release agent, optionally a filler, optionally a colorant, optionally a coupling agent and a flame retardant system wherein the flame retardant system comprises a lower percentage of antimony pentoxide, a lower percentage of sodium, an organic compound containing a higher percentage of halogen than prior art molding compounds and optionally a basic magnesium oxide compound to reduce corrosion of metal conductor lines and pads of the semiconductor device.
The present invention also, includes an improved encapsulated semiconductor device wherein the encapsulant is as described above, with as flame-retardant system comprising a lower percentage of antimony pentoxide, and sodium, an organic compound containing a higher percentage of halogen than prior art molding compounds and optionally a basic magnesium oxide compound to reduce corrosion of metal conductor lines and pads of the semiconductor device.
In all three instances the halogen-containing organic compound may be a separate ingredient, but is preferably a part of either the epoxy or the hardener. The halogen containing organic compounds can also be halogen-containing compounds which become chemically incorporated into the product of the epoxy resin and the hardener upon setting or part of other ingredients such as the lubricant or the colorant.
The terms "epoxy molding compounds" as used herein means epoxy molding compound conventionally known in the art including any material containing two or more reactive oxirane groups. For example, the epoxy molding compound may have two or more epoxy groups in one molecule, including glycidyl ether type such as, phenol novolac type, cresol novolac type and the like; glycidyl-ester type; alicyclic type; heterocylic type and halogenated epoxy resins, etc. The epoxy resins may be used either singly or as a mixture of two or more resins.
Similarly, the term "epoxy novolac molding compound" as used herein includes any phenol-derived and substituted phenol derived novolac hardener conventionally used as hardener for epoxy resins. For example, phenolic novolacs, and cresolic novolacs, are most suitable. The epoxy novolac molding compounds may be used either singly or as a mixture of two or more compounds.
The term "catalyst" as used herein means a catalyst appropriate to the hardener used to promote the curing of the present composition. Such catalysts include basic and acidic catalysts such as the metal halide Lewis acids, e.g., boron trifluoride, stannic chloride, zinc chloride and the like, metal carboxylate-salts such as stannous octoate and the like; and amines, e.g., triethylamine, imidazole derivatives and the like. The catalysts are used in conventional amounts such as from about 0.1 to 5.0% by weight of the combined weight of epoxy and hardener.
The term "mold release agents" as used herein means chemical agents commonly used to assist the release of the cured epoxy molding compounds from the mold. For example, carnauba wax; montanic acid ester wax; polyethylene wax; polytetrafluoroethylene wax; glyceral monostearate; metallic stearates; paraffin waxes and the like are suitable.
The term "fillers" as used herein means one or more of the conventional fillers such as silica, calcium carbonate, calcium silicate, aluminum oxide, glass fibers, clay, and the like. The preferred filler is silica or a mixture of predominantly silica with other filler(s). The fillers usually are used in at least 50 percent by weight of the molding compound.
The term "colorant" as used herein includes colorant commonly used in epoxy molding compound, such as carbon black, pigments, dyes and the like.
The term "coupling agent," as used herein means a coupling agent known to improve dry electrical properties of the compound. The coupling agents may be of the silane type, characterized by the formula R'Si(OR).sub.3 ; where R' represents an organo-functional group such as amino, mercapto, vinyl, epoxy or methacryloxy, and OR represents a hydrolyzable alkoxy group attached to the silicon. Preferred coupling agents are described in U.S. Pat Nos. 4,042,550 and 3,849,187, of which the descriptions are incorporated herein by reference.
The term "halogen-containing organic compound" or "organic compound containing halogen", as used herein, includes organic compound in which the halogen is present from any source including halogenation of a component or its precursor (such as a monomer) or by addition of halogen-containing monomers by reactions in which the halogen is not completely removed.
The halogen-containing organic compound used in a flame retardant system is preferably of the reactive type and further preferably has, as halogen, chlorine or bromine. Exemplary halogenated organic compounds are those types of polyglycidyl ether of bromophenol-formaldehyde novolac, commercially sold by Nippon Kayaku under the tradename "BREN.TM.," those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,042,550 and 4,282,136, of which the descriptions are incorporated herein by reference and include halogenated bisphenol A and derivatives of bisphenol A such as tetrabromobisphenol A, and glycidyl ethers of halogenated resins such as the diglycidyl ether of tetrabromobisphenol A.
Preferred is meta-brominated cresol epoxy novolac available from the Dow Chemical Co. under the tradename "Stable Bromine Cresol Epoxy Novolac" (71842.00L type or 71970.00 type, production no. R0544-41091-21-1. These are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,727,119 and 4,731,423). The 71842.00L type is of the general formula: ##STR1## The 71970.00 type contains the following ingredients:
______________________________________ Diglycidylether of Dibromotetramelthylbiphenol 0-8% Diglycidylether of Tribromotetramethylbiphenol 8-40% Cas No. 108935-90-6 Diglycidylether of Tetrabromotetramethylbiphenol 0-2% Cas No. 72436-58-9 Reaction product of cresol, formaldehyde & 60-90% epichlorohydrin Cas No. 064425-89-4 ______________________________________
The halogen containing organic compound may be a separate additive or may be contained in one or more of the organic components of the molding compound, especially the epoxy or the hardener, or possibly other components such as the lubricant, or the colorant or the filler (if organic).
Exemplary of reactive halogen-containing organic compounds which are part of the epoxy resin are metabrominated phenolics such as meta-brominated cresol epoxy novolac.
The term "antimony pentoxide" as used herein means antimony pentoxide in any available form. Preferably, antimony pentoxide used is Nyacol A1590 commercially sold by the Nyacol Division of P.Q. Corporation which has a very low sodium content of 0.03 to 0.06% by weight of the antimony pentoxide as compared to that of 3 to 4% in prior art products such as Nyacol A1588LP.
The term "magnesium oxide compound" as used herein means any magnesium oxide in any available form capable of neutralizing the acidity of the antimony pentoxide and thereby reducing the corrosion of the metal semiconductor device lines and pads, especially in regions where two different metals are in contact with each other. Preferably, the magnesium oxide compound is magnesium aluminum carbonate hydrate commercially sold by Kyowa Chemical Industry Co. under the trade name "DHT-4A."